Can I access insurance policy information of someone who has passed away? 6 Answers as of June 16, 2011

Once an individual passes away is there a database or databases that can be accessed by entering information in regards to banks accounts and insurance policies held by the individual that passed. I am not referring to unclaimed property sites. I am the executor of the estate as stated by the will and the will has been probated.

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Unfortunately, there is no one place that you will be able to access to determine if there are any life insurance policies out there. Your best bet is to contact the insurance companies directly, let them know you are the executor and you are looking for life insurance policies. They will not give you information over the telephone (unless you are a beneficiary) but they will send the necessary documents to the beneficiaries to get the process started.

About the only way is to write and/or call every and any insurance company you think may have issued a policy to him and check with them. Your estate attorney will usually do such things for you and the estate. Good luck.

Unfortunately, no there is not a master database. You will need to make inquires to the banks, insurance companies and other financial institutions as to whether the decedent held any accounts with each through the authority granted to you as the executor of the estate. The best place to start will be any records of the decedent - look for any statements you can find. Another good place to look for clues are the carbon copies of a check register.

There is no one site that looks up all insurance. As executor you can do many things. You lawyer should have explained these to you (if you do not have one, get one). If you know which companies he has, a proper request from you as executor will probably get an answer. If not things get trickier. Finding a policy may take some digging, but start here: a.. Go through canceled checks or contact the insured's bank for copies of old checks. Look for checks made out to insurance companies. a.. Ask those who may have known about your relative's finances. Speak with the person's lawyer, banker or accountant. Also contact the insurance agent. One of them may know where the insured bought life insurance. b.. Contact your relative's past employers. They might know of possible group life insurance. The insured might have also purchased supplemental life insurance through work. c.. Check the mail for a year. Premium bills and policy-status notices are usually sent annually. d.. Look at income tax returns for the past two years. Check for interest income from policies or expenses paid to life insurance companies. e.. Contact the Medical Information Bureau. If your relative bought life insurance fairly recently, there might be a trail of the companies to which he applied. The Medical Information Bureau maintains a database dating to 1996 that might show if insurers have requested your relative's medical information. Record searches can be requested through the MIB's Policy Locator Service and cost $75. The MIB says nearly 30% of searches turn up leads. http://www.mibsolutions.com/pls_how_to_order/

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